The latest show from Netflix is here and I, for one, am pleasantly surprised. It’s not as good as Bridgerton, sure (and there just might not be EVER) but so far, I’m really enjoying it.

Before I go any further let the record reflect, I HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, (sorry to all the Kristin Hannah readers out there!) And, yes in Publishing that is somewhat of a crime, but we can’t read everything, okay? I’m also only two episodes in.

The premise

Firefly Lane is about two friends who are polar opposites, who occasionally fight with one another, who make up with one another, then fight all over again because they are like night and day.

Their relationship jumps forward and backwards in time, so we see them quite a bit as young teenagers, as university students, as work colleagues, and as a forty-something mother and talk show host. The time-jumping is a tad confusing at times, especially when we hear about things that have happened before we see them. (given I am still trying to explain The Lake House to my seventy-something father, heaven help me if he gets a load of this show!).

The stars

Tully is the talk show celeb who has a lot of demons she is dealing with, played by Katherine Heigl of Grey’s Anatomy fame. Best friend Kate is the mum raising a teenage daughter while dealing with co-parenting issues with her soon to be ex-husband and is played by Sarah Chalke of Scrubs fame.

Speaking of the soon-to-be-ex, Ben Lawson plays Johnny, and it’s great to see an Aussie and also hear the accent. Even better, he’s got that scruffy five o’clock look going on, and as my love-life’s non-existent these days, I’m already drooling.

Episode 1

We time-jump through the 70’s, 80’s and the 2000’s and it’s discombobulating as we cover a lot of ground in the space of 40ish minutes.

In the 70’s, we see how Tully and Kate met; what a rubbish childhood Tully was dealt, and how boring a teenager Kate was.

We also meet Kate’s brother, who is a closeted gay man, Kate’s mother who doesn’t seem to have a cigarette out of her hand at any time, Tully’s mother who’s a drugged-up hippie and goes by the name of Cloud, as well as Kate and Johnny’s daughter, Marah. Oh, and there’s some guy named Travis and a girl named Kimber, and I have to start writing notes just to keep up with who’s who!

In the 80’s Kate and Johnny and Tully are all working together at a TV station – although Kate is the one that ends up doing most of the work while Tully’s only interested in getting in front of the cameras. Though pretty soon, Kate’s hard work is noticed by Johnny and he starts to see her in a new light! Yay!

In the 2000’s Tully gets it on with a hot guy in the bar, who we discover is an EMT and I’m already thinking about all the ministrations he could deliver to me (wink).

Still in the 2000’s and Kate and Johnny are getting a divorce – no! – Kate’s daughter wants to go on the pill but needs parental consent, and Tully dances with a guy Kate likes, which brings an onslaught of not so great memories for poor Kate. Somehow, I think I’m going to be saying poor Kate A LOT.

But it’s the 80’s version of Johnny I’m here for, folks, and just like poor Kate my heart would have been all aflutter around that man. Cue, the sighs…

Episode 2

Again, we are time-jumping through the decades, and I’m beginning to wonder how the hell is Heigl and Chalke’s skin is so flawless in the 80’s flashbacks. Is it CGI or are the make-up people truly wizards from Hogwarts? I cannot stop scrutinising them, so I Googled it and yeah, it’s special effects.

This episode really packs a punch emotionally, especially when we’re in the 70’s with a young Tully who deals with an absolutely horrific event. It’s something that will haunt her forever, but it’s also an event that cements Tully’s and Kate’s bond.

In the 2000’s Tully and Johnny are sharing a moment, which I’m not sure I like and when we flashback to the 80’s and they share a near-kiss, again it is raising red flags. But I play the devil’s advocate and can’t help but wonder: could Johnny be the saviour Tully needs?

Back in the 80’s, the soundtrack gets even better, and we’re treated to a grown-up Sean, Kate’s closeted gay brother, who is still closeted to everyone except Tully. Grown-up Sean is in the navy and he’s looking very fine in the uniform, though he’s definitely no Richard Gere.

In the 2000’s again, Tully signs the consent form for Kate’s daughter to go on the pill, and when Kate finds out, she and Tully have a massive fight. Kate is also dealing with a lot of problems, one of which is the world’s ugliest dog who is also constipated! This moment makes me laugh and gag just a little a little, but I’m also pleased to meet a possible love interest for Kate. No, it’s not the dog.

Tully and the EMT catch up again for another romp. Kate and Tully get over the fight – they are soulmates so they have to! And Johnny is back on the scene although he tells Kate he wants to return to journalism again and a stint on the frontlines of war! No, Johnny my 80’s heart screams!

And the end of the episode delivers one hell of a surprise! I won’t say too much, but it kicks me in the gut, and I’m praying this is not going where the producers want me to think that it is going because my emotions just won’t deal with that!

The worst thing about Firefly Lane

The fact I’m only two episodes in and I’m wanting more but this thing called work keeps getting in my way. Ugh!

The best thing about Firefly Lane

Kate and Tully’s friendship, of course. And the soundtrack. And 80’s Johnny, duh!

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Written by Jo-Ann Milne